James stared sadly down at the floor, unable to move, unable to speak. He knew that he owed it to his wife to save her and the baby. They depended on him, they needed him. He knew he could not continue to live a lie forever, that he had already lost too much.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, trying to gather enough strength to finally stand up and act. Then he raised his head. He opened his eyes, looking directly at Violetta. "I can see that your Alpha desires your death, but I am going to protect you," he said calmly. Turning away, he started running away, heading westward in a desperate attempt to escape his own destruction.
Violetta gazed helplessly after James, shaking her head in bewilderment as his retreating back disappeared into the darkness. She had lost her Alpha; she did
